Forget
by NinjagoGirl
Summary: During a battle, Zane hears an insult that brings back painful memories. He feels empty, and he's decided to take to his memory switch and start fresh again. The pain is strong; it's so much easier to forget.
1. The Comment

Zane's P.O.V:

Another day, another battle. It was routine, right? Just a quirk about being a ninja. Today we were in the open, battling Skales and his army. Oh how sickening they are.  
>It felt so normal now that it was easy, but today was different. I didn't know until I attacked one Skales and the petty insults flew. "You can't defeat me, ninja." "But I already have." I snickered. He hissed vilely. "Right, scrap metal." I rolled my eyes. "Like I would stoop to your level." I remarked. The battle ceased for a moment. "Of course, because robots are perfect. You could just be shoved in a closet and forgotten about. You don't need food, you don't need sleep, you don't need water...you're like a glorified toaster." I frowned. "Obviously you serve no purpose. You were just made to serve a man's needs." he continued. "Let's skip to the point." I jumped into the air to attack. "You are nobody." he insulted.<br>I really didn't like that term, and the moment I began to think about it, I hit the ground with a deafening thud. I struggled to my feet while Jay attack the way I'd intended to. Then he walked over to me. "You alright?" he asked. He put out his arm and helped me up. "Yeah, I'm fine." that had been a lie.  
>As we left, the others were chatting about something; my mind wandered too far to know what it was. "Right, Zane?" I was called. I looked up. "Huh? Sorry, didn't hear you..." Kai frowned now. "You seem a little...spaced out." I grimaced briefly before readopting my indifferent demeanor. "Just a little tired, I guess." I fibbed again. He stopped frowning, but his new mood couldn't quite reach his eyes as he shrugged.<br>When we got home, I was still deep in thought. Nobody. How derogatory. It was the only thing that managed to shake me, the only thing he could use to insult a robot. What he said, initially, is that I wasn't on the same level with humanity. Sure, it was probably true but...where was I going with that sentence? With a sigh, I proceeded to the kitchen and took out my ingredients and utensils to cook dinner for my brothers. 


	2. Over-Thinking

I cut up some onions as those hurtful words played in my mind again, further embedding themselves into my hardware. You are nobody. I only now realized that I had missed the onion completely, all I was doing was putting notches in the wooden cutting board.  
>I frowned again and began cutting the onions properly.<br>Cooking was painful, my mind wandered so much that I took twice the time I really needed. When I did finish, however, my food was enjoyed. Enjoyed by everyone but me. I just pushed my food around with my fork. "Hey, Zane, you sure you alright?" I tried hard not to frown. "Yeah, I'm just not that hungry, I think I'll head to bed." I lied finally. Man, three lies in one night, that's a new record.  
>I wandered off to my bedroom and changed my outfit before burying myself in those sheets. I was tired, but I couldn't really sleep. Too busy thinking. It was when I finally thought that I could get some rest that there was a knock at the door. "Zane, you up?" It was Cole's voice. I groaned loudly. "No." I moaned. "Can I come in?" I grimaced. "No." I uttered flatly. "I'm coming in." "No, you're not." I said again. He still opened the door, and I cringed as he flicked the lights on. I buried my face into my pillow. "What's up?" He was suspicious. I just groaned again. "The ceiling, if that's all I'll just go back to sleep..." I dismissed. He came and sat on my bed. "Since when did you care? Please, Cole, I would just like to get some sleep." That didn't shake him. "You weren't sleeping when I knocked." he noted. I was annoyed somewhat. "Your point?" "Something is not right. You seem shaken." he mentioned. "Cole, I'm fine. Now, go away, I insist you let me rest." I snarled. He got up. "I'm just concerned, I'm your friend, remember?" I wasn't in the mood for the sappy stuff. "Yes, but now's a really bad time for you empathetic side to come out, just go away. Scram, I'm tired." I scolded again, harsher than I'd intended. He wasn't done yet. "Are you sure you're alright?"<br>I growled at him. Not that I'd really meant to, but I was agitated when he came in. "Go away. Now." In defeat, he left, and finally I drifted into a deep sleep.  
>I wish that I hadn't had a dream, but I did. I was in a house, my father's house. It was a painful thing to think about. Then the image suddenly changed. I saw Garmadon, Skales and the other snakes ambushing our house. They attacked, they took my father's life...and then I woke up, covered in cold sweat. I pulled myself out of bed and dragged on to the bathroom. I washed my face and trudged back to bed, not sleeping as soundly as before. <div> 


	3. Day Off

The following week was painful. The insults hadn't stopped, they just got worse. I became crankier, unhappier and more sleep-deprived than ever before. Every night, I would head to bed early after eating little to none of my dinner to simply lie down and do nothing. When they tried to talk to me I was also quite rude. I just didn't want them to worry about me, that's all.

This morning in particular, I was simply exhausted. While eating breakfast, I fell asleep. How does one do that, you ask? Your face hits the plate and your eyes shut. I did not even notice until Jay woke me up. "Yo, Frosty? Get up!" he yelled. I groaned for the billionth time that week as I got up, eggs stuck to the side of face. The others started sniggering before I peeled it off and attempted to eat it. "Zane, maybe you should go back to bed." My immediate reaction was to frown. "Maybe you have a point. I am extraordinarily tired today. My stamina banks must need cleaning..." I admitted. That's when Sensei mentioned a battle. I was so tired I felt like there was cotton in my ears.

"We should go. Let's let Zane sleep." I didn't have enough energy to argue. I just rose from I seat and tracked off to my bedroom. I heard them leave, so I just buried myself in my sheets. A lot easier than facing them.

I was scared of rejection. Skales' last insult came to mind. 'They'll forget you, that's what you were made for.' I tried to reassure myself they could never forget me. That wasn't going very well. 'You are nobody.' I shook my head. 'I see you for what you are; artificial.' Voices? Skales should be proud, he officially figured out how to drive an android to insanity. Bravo.

I frowned. I couldn't think straight, I was hungry. I didn't really need food, I could just sit here and forget about it. However, just to appease myself, I got up. I just picked up a piece of bread and spread some peanut butter on it. I put it in my mouth, but I didn't really taste anything. Just as pointless as I'd thought. I should have stayed in my bed.

They wouldn't reject me. They were my friends...but I guess that's why it was a fear. I dragged back to my bedroom and lied down. I tried to go to sleep, more nightmares followed that attempt. After the third time I got up, I decided it was ill-advised to try again. Now I was displaying symptoms of hypnophobia too. I will add that to the list of things that have been killing me lately.

In the end, I found it far more comforting to think then to sleep. It was a lot easier to do so without constant fear of someone coming to bother me and pry again. I thought about every time that week I had shooed them. 'Leave me be.' 'It has never come to bother you before.' 'Go back to whatever it is you were doing.' 'I wonder, where did you get the idea that I wanted your concern?'

I smiled to myself. That's when I heard the door open. I had been here all day? Explains why the sun was setting.

Thankfully, no one came to check on me. I was alone. Perfect. 


	4. He Snaps

I loved the solitude. I could act however I felt like; no judgements, no questions, no sympathy. I'll level with you, I'm strange. I like being alone when I'm hurting. It makes me feel better.

I turned off the bedroom lights and lied down on my back. The darkness was welcoming to me, I enjoyed it thoroughly. I thought about the comments. What had Skales called me first? Scrap metal? I chuckled darkly. I thought hard about myself. I was hallow. Simply a machine. And yet, I had such complex emotions. Fake, but good enough to convince me that I was human for a few years. I should've been suspicious, I just randomly woke up in a strange place with no clues to who I was, where I came from or even a memory of my childhood. I managed to scoff.

Would it have been easier to be turned off? Why did my father not fashion me a switch for that? I gazed blankly at the ceiling as if hoping it would give me answers. I don't remember why, but I think I started tearing up. It didn't bother me in the least, in fact, it made me feel more human. I smiled grimly, even in my current situation as they bubbled over and trickled down my pale, cool cheeks. Crying is normal, don't stress Zane. I heard the door open. Automatically, I buried my head in my pillow. It worked to an extent, though it dampened the pillow as my head's position shifted slightly. The lights flicked on, flooding the room with light. "Zane, we need to talk." It was Lloyd. How rude of him to invade my privacy like that.

He sat down next to me and put his hand near my head. "We noticed that something is up. You've been eating less and you've been cranky and—wait, Zane, are you crying?" he interjected. His hand had miraculously moved to my pillow, and he felt the moisture. He lifted up my face and saw my tears. "What's wrong? You can tell us, we only want to help." He dropped my head and I put it back to the pillow. I was angry—no, furious—that he had completely ignored my privacy. "I suggest you leave." I muttered. "But—" I sat up quickly. "Lloyd, I find it in your best interest to leave." I instructed firmly once more.

"It's alright, Zane. We can—" "Go away. You can go away." I growled. "Really, it's—" I got up from my bed and grabbed his arm forcefully. I opened the door and shoved him out, almost knocking him off balance. "I told you to leave!" I screamed as I slammed the door in his face. The tears flowed freely now. I slid my back down the wall. "Aw, now you've made him mad!" I put my head between my knees and made an important decision; I was going to start fresh.

I donned a white hoodie, jeans and sneakers to escape. I wanted no memory of being a ninja. I picked up a piece of paper and began writing a message. I used a thumbtack to pin it to my wooden bed frame and I jumped out the window. If I moved fast, I'd be there by sunrise. 


	5. We're Coming

Jay's P.O.V:

It took me some clever negotiation to get my teammates to reenter Zane's bedroom. The lights were off, I assumed he was sleeping. However, when I turned them on, the room was empty. We were all shocked. "He's gone?" I wondered a little absentmindedly. I removed a small note from the bed head.

I see you've found my note. For starters, I wanted to say that it's not your fault, it's not Lloyd's fault either. I know, I could've just told you and avoided everything, but I can be stubborn and irrational. Don't let my abnormally calm demeanor fool you. I apologize for inconveniencing you like this. I've decided to forget, I'm going back to where it all started. You can come after me, by the time you find me it'll be too late. I express my sincerest regrets. Goodbye, brothers.  
>Your old friend,<br>Zane, The Nindroid

I frowned at the use of the term I'd used to describe him. Running my finger over the words, I noticed the ink was still fresh as a little came off on my finger. Where it all started? I pondered a little more. "The tree, the workshop his father had lived in...we can still make it! Let's go, now!"

We packed some food and headed off, yes on foot. It would take us forever, but we didn't have a choice. We fought to remember the way. We trekked for hours, stopping every once in a while briefly, we couldn't afford. collapse from exhaustion. It was extremely tiring, so we were overjoyed when the frozen forest was spotted up ahead. It quickly faded to despair when we realized that he was nowhere to be seen.  
>"Zane? Zane!" Cole called. No answer, we just kept walking.<p>

Zane's P.O.V:

I looked at the rising sun. My sixth sense ha been correct in telling me I'd arrive by sunrise. The house was up ahead, and I walked up to it. I vaguely heard, "Zane! Zane, we're here!" in the background and I saw my friends. I grimaced again, I done it so many times lately, as another tear streamed down. It had also been right about them coming after me. I kept walking to the workshop, walking until I reached the doorstep. I stuck another note on the door. It was time. No more pain for me.

I opened the panel in my chest. It would probably be the last time. I felt for the switch. My memory switch. The metal was cool, as it wasn't touched much. I put my hand to the switch and got ready to flip it.

"Zane! Don't do it! We're here for you!" I ignored it and sucked in a breath. Finally, I flipped the switch, hard, and broke it off. Exactly what I'd wanted, I'd never remember. Unconsciousness swept over me and I closed my eyes, the final teardrop of the past falling. I was free. 


	6. Zane Who?

Kai's P.O.V:

We were too late. He'd already done it. He had beaten us to it. We watched helplessly as he automatically closed his chest and sat down, before lying on his back. I rushed over and shook him, he would to have open his eyes. I shook and shook, hoping they'd flutter open.

They did.

However, this Zane eyed me suspiciously.

Zane's P.O.V:

My eyes opened. I suppose I have amnesia, I don't remember how I got here, or who this strange man dressed as a ninja was.

I tried remember who I was. No memory of a name came up. "Zane? Are you in there?"

He was clearly talking to me. So I must be Zane. "Who are you?" I asked him. "I'm Kai. This is Lloyd, Nya, Jay and Cole. We're your friends, we're ninjas...you've known us for so long...please Zane, tell me you remember..." It looked like he was going to cry. "Who am I?" I wondered again, trying to put the pieces together. He swallowed hard. Yes, he was probably going to cry. "You're Zane, Zane Julien. You're the son of an inventor who lived in this very house. You're the ninja of ice, a great friend, and a android. We told you we didn't care. Something was going on, you didn't want to tell us, we let it go too far...You wiped your own memory. You, you don't remember..."

I really didn't remember. Was I simply supposed to believe that story? That I was a robot ninja? Right...because that makes sense. "I'm sorry. I do not remember you or your friends. Should I?" I told him. It didn't look like he was in any condition to answer more questions, so one of his friends did. "Well, yes, you should. Maybe I can give you back your memory." I raised a brow. He reached for my chest. "What are you doing? Let go of me!" I yelled. He opened up a panel of some sort. I saw switches and wires.

Huh, so I was a robot.

I looked down, one switch was broken, sparking in places. He felt the wires, observing them. Then he turned back to his friends. The red one had turned around, his arms wrapped around himself. Was he in pain? I didn't know who this 'Kai' character was, but I felt sympathetic.

The blue who had opened the panel began to discuss something with the others. I got up and looked back at the tree; there was a small note pinned to it.

Hello, friend. Whoever you are, I know a person who I would like to protect. He does not remember his name, so I will give this warming to everyone. I beg of you, do not venture in here. If said person does, they will remember pain. Do not go on in there.

That was for me. What was it that he didn't want me to know? I looked further down.

Zane Julien

I was protecting myself from pain. I still couldn't imagine what was so painful in the first place. The black one grabbed my arm and dragged me away. I still had my note in my hand. Oh well, It was going with me. 


End file.
